Not Out of the Woods Yet
by Those Sea-Green Eyes
Summary: The war with Gaea is over. But Percy and Annabeth are far from sane. Nightmare after nightmare attack them and they find themselves only alive because of the other. It took a trip through Greek hell for them to realize the bond they share together-a love so strong no one can break it. Now they are determined for a happy ending but are simply not out of the woods yet.


**Authors Note: **I know there have been many after Hero's of Olympus stories but I still really wanted to do one. So here I am writing this, I hope you enjoy the first chapter and PLEASE review. Also I will be switching off between Annabeth and Percy's point of views with the occasional other character such as Sally or Paul throughout this story.

**Disclaimer: **Percy Jackson belongs to Rick Riordan...and Annabeth Chase

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**Annabeth**

**~Memories~**

I watch as the Manhattan skyline comes into view, the familiar sight of the Empire State Building where we had been only yesterday reassures me a bit, and also the fact that Percy's hand is in mine.

"Annabeth, are you all right?" My friend Piper McLean asks though she won't meet my eyes. No one does these days, except of course Percy.

Its been that way ever since...you know the 'pit'...I still can't bring myself to think or say the name aloud. Ever since 'you know what' I've been falling apart. The only thing keeping me going was the quest, now its over and I don't know what I'm going to do. I could never face my _family_ in San Francisco...and besides that's way to close to Camp Jupiter..._to New Rome_.

I find myself thinking of Percy's offer of the fact we could live there, go to college, raise a family...I sigh its just all to good to be true and besides I'm well...broken.

"Annabeth," Piper calls again, but it feels like my friend is miles away. She still isn't meeting my eyes, no one in the van is. The truth is their all afraid to, I've seen the look in Percy's eyes and I'm pretty sure my eyes hold the exact same look.

A _broken_ look, a _terrified_ look, a _paralyzed_ look.

A look that no one wishes to see, especially not my friends. Things between us just haven't been the same since, since.._.Tartarus. _At the thought of the dreadful place I find myself in the dark.

A cool breeze is creeping across my skin, I shiver and then I hear Percy's voice. A terrified wail, I cry out desperately trying to locate my boyfriend.

"Percy!" I scream, "Percy!" Then I feel someone touch my head and my eyes fly open. I let out a sob and grab my boyfriend pulling him close to me. "They had you...Percy...they had you..." I murmur, Percy grabs my shoulders firmly yet softly.

"Annabeth...were together, every thing is going to be alright. Never alone, ever again right?" Percy says though he sounds unnatural, I meet his eyes and almost flinch at the sight. He looks like he did when he had the death mist surrounding him...

Like a corpse.

He has dark bags under his eyes, and even though his bruises and cuts are beginning to fade I can tell he has worse bruises. Bruises that are on the inside, bruises that will never fade. But I don't care, I mean I doubt I look any better so I just rest my head on his chest and cry.

Soft silent tears as though I don't have the energy to make a sound.

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"Thanks, Argus." Percy mumbles as the Camp-Half-Blood van pulls up in front of his apartment. Argus blinks all hundred of his eyes in a silent farewell. I glance towards my friends in the van, Jason. Piper. Leo. Frank. Hazel. None of them will meet my eyes and despite how angry I am at them I can't blame them.

"Bye, guys." I mumble my gaze beginning to cloud as visions of my friends attacking giants flash into my mind, I shake my head trying to clear the memories but its no use.

"Bye." Frank and Hazel chorus though their eyes are fixed on the skyline just as mine had been earlier. Leo flashes a halfhearted peace sign not saying anything. A tear rolls down Piper's cheek, she also says nothing.

"Keep in touch alright?" Jason breaks the sad gloomy silence, Percy grins slightly though its not the Percy grin I've grown to love. Its a faded, twisted attempt on Percy's part. Its as though Kronos is controlling each of are bodies like he did to Luke two years ago.

Were each fighting to break free, but are to weak, lost and haunted to do so.

"Yeah," I finally mumble though it doesn't really sound like me and I don't realize for a few moments that I was the one that said yeah.

I hear the car engine roar and without another word the Camp-Half-Blood van is barreling off down the street leaving Percy and I alone.

Percy reaches over to grab my hand, squeezing it so tightly I know he's lost in a memory. I kiss him gently on the cheek, we stand there for many moments before Percy turns towards his apartment. Without a word he begins walking towards his home, I follow slowly behind him.

Suddenly stopping at the sudden movement in the corner of my eye I reach for my knife only to remember it to had been lost in 'the pit.' I sigh unsheathing the sword I had also received in 'you know where' only to realize I'm in no danger unless squirrels are monsters.

"Annabeth," Percy's voice is a hoarse whisper and I realize he's at the fire escape. My eyes widen and I race towards him, hugging him so tightly.

I know he'd only been a few feet away from me but after all we'd been through...I couldn't even handle a few feet. I don't feel like the daughter of the Goddess of War and Wisdom I feel like the daughter of Aphrodite. "Hey its okay," Percy whispers.

These days the only people we ever talk to is each other, we barely even talk to Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel and Frank.

I wish I could stay with my arms wrapped around Percy forever but of course those memories have to find there way back. Soon I'm back in _Tartarus_ searching for Percy as the curse Calypsos gave to me comes into effect and I can't see Percy anywhere.

"Percy!" I scream for the billionth time since 'you know where.' Percy grabs me and holds me tighter,

"Its alright Annabeth...I know how dark the memories are...come on. We'll fight them together." he leads me up the fire escape and into his apartment through his bedroom window which is luckily ajar.

We quietly enter Percy's bedroom upon looking around I begin to feel a bit better. The sight of all of Percy's clothes throne around the room is enough to spark a small ray of hope inside me.

"Seaweed Brain," I murmur though I'm not sure Percy heard me. He's to busy muttering under his breath and he to for a few moments is back to normal.

"Mom! Never thought to clean my room did she? All those months-" Percy is interrupted by a loud banging sound, I reach for my sword stiffening, Percy does the same. But before we can react were pulled into a huge hug, the embrace is surprising. No one's looked at me, not to mention hugged me besides Percy in weeks.

"My babies!" The shrill voice of Sally Jackson makes me happy inside and I realize she said: _babies _as though shes my happy feeling inside flickers but then is extinguish as an image of Sally Jackson in Hades Palace makes me shudder.

Only five years ago Percy's mother was taken from Hades himself because of her bond with her son. _Its all your fault! _A voice echos in my mind and I shake my head frantically.

"No! No! No!" I say loudly, Sally lets go of her son turning to me she rests her hands on my cheeks causing me to flinch even though she's done this many times. Especially during the months Percy has missing.

"Annabeth, honey whats wrong?" shes looking at me but I can tell her question is directed to her son. Percy's eyes are glazed over but he manages for a shaky reply.

"Dark, dark things." he mumbles taking a hold of my hand, not letting it go. Sally seems to realize this which only deepens her confusion. But she straightens.

"No need to tell us now. Chiron told us that you...you fell..." Sally begins to sob and a tall man with salt and pepper colored hair rests a hand on his wife's shoulder pulling her into a hug. _Paul..._I think, glancing towards Percy I see his eyes have un-glazed.

But this only lasts for a second as they quickly cloud over again as a memory hits him. Paul and Sally turn to look at us, I can see they notice that we are not only hurt on the outside but on the inside. I can tell they can see our glazed eyes.

Both of them smother us in another hug as though that will fix everything. To be honest it did make me feel just a bit better.

"Can we you know...eat?" Percy rasps, Sally blinks a few times.

"Of course!" she exclaims ushering us towards the kitchen she prepares a chicken, giving us some fruit, and vegetables on the side. My belly is growling but I don't feel like eating. Percy of course digs right in, some things never change. I can't help but roll my eyes even though a dreading feeling is setting in my stomach.

"Annabeth," I look up at Paul my body is beginning to shake. Percy looks at me a worried expression crossing his face, he steps away from his food clearing the few inches apart we are in less than a second.

He reaches down kissing my hair, I instantly feel better and my body calms down at his touch. I glance towards Paul, he's staring at us with a perplexed expression on his face. Sally is on the verge of tears and she tries blinking them away but eventually just allows them to flow as she realizes our fragile state.

"Annabeth, you need to eat." Percy whispers, I know its true and my belly is practically screaming for food but I just don't feel like food matters anymore. "Annabeth!" Percy's voice is sharper, "Break out of it!" He puts his arms around my chest hugging me tightly. "Annabeth, were together...please break out of it." he begs.

I want to say the same things to him but I know it will do no good. We are simply broken. But at his words I pick up my fork and begin to slowly eat, my belly purrs in happiness as the food enters my system.

About twenty minutes later Percy and I have finished, Sally and Paul had stood in front of us watching our every move and now they are finally beginning to stir. Paul glances towards the clock and I follow his gaze, _8:54 __PM _despite the early hour my eyes begin to droop and I find myself dozing off.

Percy seems to notice this and he manages a small faded un-Percy like grin. "I think its bedtime." he murmurs, I shudder. Percy and I haven't been able to get much sleep lately due to the fact the memories are worse when we close our eyes. Normally we thrash about in bed and sometimes wake screaming.

"I'll get the couch ready," Paul offers walking off. I sigh at least I'll be near Percy, the only way we ever get a few minutes of sleep is when were together. I glance towards Percy he truly does look broken, but at the same time handsome. His image flickers and for a moment he looks like normal old Percy, the Percy I long for but we've been through to much.

Percy kisses my hair once more before stepping away and allowing me to get to my feet.

I walk slowly towards the couch, Paul has but a sheet on it and is just setting a few pillows and blankets on it as I enter the living room. He looks up, opening his mouth as though going to say something. But he just shakes his head and retreats from the room.

I sit down on the couch, and a memory floods through my mind. But this time its a happy memory, a memory of Percy and I sitting here on this very couch.

A fire is blazing in the fire place just a few feet away, his arms are around me and he's murmuring words of comfort into my ear. I relax at the memory and a flicker of hope floods through me. We'll get through this as long as were together.

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**Authors Note: **I hope you liked the first chapter! Please review telling me what you thought!


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